Work-holding and feeding device for looping rope



y 1966 v. A. ELLEDGE ETAL 3,262,408

WORK-HOLDING AND FEEDING DEVICE FOR LOOPING ROPE Filed July 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Vernie A. EHedqeINVENTORS Robert G. Bradshaw ATTORNEY July 26, 1966 v. A. ELLEDGE ETAL 3,262,408

WORK-HOLDING AND FEEDING DEVICE FOR LOOPING ROPE Filed July 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Vernie A. Elledge Robert G. Bradshaw NVENTORS ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates to a work-holding and feeding device for looping rope into a rick-rack formation that is be used in slot formers for solid propellants for rocket motors.

Slot formers in general are positioned in motor cases for rocket motors prior to the casting of the solid propellant therein for creating in the solid propellant a transverse slot which increases the burning area in the solid propellant. The slot formers have to be removed after the solid propellant has been cured, and the removal of the slot formers has created quite a problem for the reason that they have to be removed without damaging the slot they have created or damaging the surface of the solid propellant that they may come into contact with during their removal.

One of the solutions that has been tried for the removal of the slot former is the complete disintegration thereof; and this can be carried out by molding onto a continuous rope a suitable material that is easily destroyed when the rope is pulled therefrom.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to form a continuous strand of rope into a rick-rack formation that can be used in a suitable material to complete the destruction thereof when a pulling force is applied to one end of the strand of rope.

The work-holding and feeding device is used in conjunction with a conventional sewing machine so that stitches can be sewn into the looped rope to retain it in a rick-rack formation.

It is, therefore, another object of the invention to provide a work-holding and feeding device that is to be used in combination with a sewing machine to permit stitches to be sewn into the rope that is formed into a rick-rack formation by the device.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter. described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a work-holding and feeding device embodying the invention and the manner in which it is used in combination with a sewing machine, as shown in dotted lines.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the looping tool for feeding the rope into the work-holder.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the work-holder for retaining the rope in looped formation until it is sewn.

FIGURE 4 is a partial side view of a modified form of looping tool, and

FIGURE 5 is a partial front view of the looping tool shown in FIGURE 4.

Referring more in detail to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals, the reference numeral is used to generally designatethe workholding and feeding device embodying the invention.

The work-holding and feeding device 10 comprises a work-holder 11 which is of substantially rectangular formation having a base plate 12 on which is superim posed and secured thereto along the longitudinal edges thereof spacing strips 13 and 14 respectively. Superimposed on the spacing strips 13 and 14 is a top plate 15 which is made from a suitable transparent plastic material. Adjacent one end of the work-holder 11, the base 3,262,408 Patented July 26, 1966 plate 12 is provided with an elongated slot 16; and the top plate is provided with a similar slot 17 that is in vertical alignment with the slot 16 in the base plate 12.

The portions of the base plate 12 and top plate 15 defining the slots 16 and 17 are of the same width as the spacing strips 13 and 14; and the base plate 12, spacing strips 13 and 14, and top plate 15 define therebetween a passageway 18 into which a strand of rope is fed, as shown in FIGURE 1.

The work-holder 11 is placed on a suitable support 19 which is usually the table which supports a sewing ma- .chine 20, and the presser foot and needle assembly 21 of the sewing machine 20 is inserted into the space formed by the slots 16 and 17 in the base plate 12 and top plate 15.

A strand of rope 22 is then inserted at one end thereof into the passageway 18 formed in the work-holder 11, and a rope looping tool 23 is forced against the rope 22 to form loops 24 in the strand of rope 22. When the innermost loop 24 is positioned below the presser foot and needle assembly 21, the sewing machine 20 is started to operate and stitches 25 are sewn into the loops 24 to retain the loops 24 in the final rick-rack formation 26, as shown in FIGURE 1. I

The looping tool 23 comprises a handle 27 into which is inserted a shaft 28 that is substantially square-shaped in cross-section, and the fore end of the shaft 28 is bent at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof to provide a looping foot 23.

There are provided in the outer surface of the curve 30 that is formed by the bending of the free end of the shaft 28 a pair of spaced, semi-spherically shaped, transverselyextending slots 31 and 32 which provide therebetween a tooth 33; and the slots 31 and 32 and tooth 33, when engaged with the strand of rope 22, loop the strand of rope into the loops 24, as shown in FIGURE 1.

The force that is applied to the loops 24 by the looping foot 29 determines the spacing of the loops 24, as they are forced below the presser foot and needle assembly 21 to be sewn.

In FIGURES 4 and 5, a modified form of looping tool 34 is shown; and the shaft 35 of this tool is formed from a flat strip of material and is provided with a curved end 36 which is at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 35. This form of tool is used on larger ropes than that adapted to be looped by the looping tool 28, and the work-holder 11 is made proportionately larger to compensate for the size of the strand of rope to be looped.

The strand of rope 22 is fed from a conventional ball as is obtainable on the open market, and the looping process is continued until the ball has been completely depleted.

The work-holder 11 is secured in fixed relation to the table 19 in any well-known manner and may be rigidly secured thereto or removably secured thereto, as desired.

The strand of rope 22 is positioned across the entrance of the passageway 18, the foot 29.0f the looping tool 23 is placed in contact with that portion of the strand of rope 22 extended across the passageway 18, and, when manual pressure is applied to the looping tool 23 by means of the handle 37, the strand of rope 22 is formed and the completed rick-rack formation 25 is very quickly completed as the operator becomes more experienced.

There has thus been provided a device for looping rope to form a trick-rack formation Which is efiicient in operation and inexpensive to manufacturefand it is believed that the rnOde of operation and construction of the device embodying the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art, it being understood that variations in the mode of construction of the, invention may be adhered to provided such alterations fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

The combination with a sewing machine having a table,

and a presser foot and needle assembly of a work-holding 10 and feeding device comprising a work-holder for retaining looped rope therein to be sewn secured to said table in fixed relation thereto, and a looping tool for engaging said rope and forming it into loops in said work-holder, said work-holder including a base plate and a top plate and a pair of parallel spacing strips positioned intermediate of said base plate and said top plate, the combined width. of said strips being less than the width of said plates and positioned along the length edges of said plates to provide a longitudinal passageway for said looped rope in said work-holder, and a slot in said Work-holder to receive the presser foot and needle assembly of said sewing ma chine whereby stitches can be sewn in the looped rope to retain it in a rick-rack formation.

References Cited by the Examiner JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. R. GUEST. Assistant Examiner. 

